asked the Minister for Agriculture the total amount of capital of the companies which are receiving subsidy under the Sugar Beet Subsidy Acts; the proportion of this capital which is owned by people of other than British nationality; and the amounts of the subsidy enjoyed by these firms?

The 10 beet sugar factories which are built or in course of being built have a nominal share capital of £2,845,000. Of this sum, £1,891,459 has been issued, of which, I am informed, £825,299 is owned by people of other than British nationality. The net amount of subsidy paid on sugar and molasses produced from home-grown beet during the past manufucturing season to the three factories then in operation, after deducting the Excise Duty, was £246,806 7s. 7d.

Can the hon. and gallant Member state why all this capital had to be obtained from foreign sources when the capitalists of this country could invest £12,000,000 in the German Loan?